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Bible Gleanings, devotions

Lord, Teach Us to Pray | Bible Gleanings | September 6-7, 2025

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“Teach me how to play like that,” I requested, after watching the old man shred on the guitar. All I knew how to play was “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Smoke on the Water,” but I felt compelled to learn from his example after such an impressive performance. And after closely watching Jesus while He prayed, one of the disciples was so impressed that they inquired, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1b). This prompted the Master-Prayer to give His disciples then and now what is known as The Lord’s Prayer, which should be called The Disciples’ Prayer, since it is a model prayer for Christ’s followers to imitate (Matt. 6:9-13).

According to Jesus, God-pleasing prayer is God-centered prayer. Instead of giving God a long list of wants, believers should pray with a focus on the Father and His fatherly care for their needs (Matt. 6:9). Thus, children of God should pray with confidence and boldness because God is their Father (Matt. 6:5-8; cf. Heb. 4:16), but also with reverence and respect because God is their Father (Matt. 6:9b; cf. Psalm 3:4). Furthermore, when believers pray, they should contemplate and consider what God wants and wills, rather than what they want (Matt. 6:10). All faithful prayer begins with a concentration and meditation upon the Lord and His desires—not our own. 

God-pleasing prayer is also God-believing prayer. That is why Jesus urged His followers to bring all of their needs to the Lord in prayer, believing that He will meet them. Jesus said that believers should pray for daily necessities like bread, trusting that the omnipotent God will provide them without lifting a finger (Matt. 6:11). He also advised believers to pray for their spiritual needs, such as daily sin-cleansing, knowing that God will purify and forgive according to His abundant mercy (Matt. 6:12; cf. Psalm 51:1). Last but not least, Jesus instructs His saints to pray for the power and grace required to withstand temptation and the Tempter, Satan (Matt. 6:13).

The greatest Pray-er who ever lived knew a thing or two about God-glorifying prayer, and His model prayer is worthy of imitation. Therefore, start with God when you pray, and fixate upon His providence, goodness, mercy, grace, and holiness. Move on to praying about your physical and spiritual needs next, and “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6b). When you concentrate on God first and your needs last, you will find your problems and worries shrinking in comparison to the great God to whom you pray. David was scared to death that he was going to be killed until he recounted who the Lord was—then he laid down and slept like a baby (cf. Psalm 3:1-6). What would change in your life if you prayed more often like Jesus taught?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Divine Drawbridge | Bible Gleanings | August 23-24, 2025

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The man was sickly, impoverished, and defenseless. The apothecary gave him a cordial, but it was watered-down liquor. A landowner lent him coins, but they slipped through the holes in his satchel. When wolves encircled his home, he drove them away with sticks and stones, only to suffer greater wounds each night. But his dwindling hope revived with a promising thought: “Perhaps the king shall take pity upon me.”

Legends of the king’s wisdom in medicine, abundance of wealth, and vast armory spread among the villages. The king was also known to be generous. In desperation, the man boldly sought the king’s help—something peons would never entertain. And after journeying three days, he beheld the king’s towering castle with relief, only to find the drawbridge raised. With no way inside, the man began hiking home—until he heard a horse galloping behind him. 

Its rider drew close and asked, “Friend, I saw you at the entrance of the king’s castle, appearing vexed. What burdens you?”

The man initially hesitated, but finally confessed: “I am dying, famished, and plagued by wolves each night. I believed the king could help, but I dared not force my way in.”

The rider nodded and said, “I shall see what may be done.”

The man’s eyes glimmered with hope, and he asked: “Truly? And may I ask—who are you?”

The rider smiled and answered, “I am the king’s son. Return tomorrow.”

And the horse-mounted prince rode off into the dusk. 

At daylight, he returned—and there stood the king’s son beside the drawbridge. He commanded the drawbridge to lower, and sat the man on his own horse and proceeded inside.

When they reached the throne room, he began to petition the king: “My lord and king, I,” but the king’s son raised his hand to silence him.

“Father, this man is poor,” said the prince, “He is sick and beset by foes. And he has come seeking your mercy.”

Immediately, the king answered, “Let it be done. Fill his pockets with my own gold. Give him the healing cordial I have prepared. And arm him plentifully, that he may ward off the wolves.”

The Bible speaks of another needy man, another King, another Son, and another drawbridge. As sinners, we are impoverished beggars—sick because of sin, spiritually bankrupt, and defenseless against the wolf, Satan. But God can heal our souls, enrich us with His grace, and equip us with weapons to withstand the devil. And we can enter the throne room of the King to receive what we need, so long as we believe that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can bring us into God’s presence (John 14:6). God lowers the drawbridge of prayer to those accompanied by His Son. That is why the Scripture says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Stagehands for the Savior | Bible Gleanings | August 9-10, 2025

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Every person’s pupils were practically glued to the pandemonium among the pirates and pillagers. Buccaneers swung from the crow’s nest to the main deck, battling raiders and robbers with their blood-drawing blades. “Avast ye! Give no quarter to these scurvy dogs!” yelled the captain. After a brief brawl, the invaders were repelled and the ruckus settled down. And that’s when I saw it: a man stepping out of the shadows to mop the deck.

While watching the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Panama City, Florida, I couldn’t help but notice the stagehands who quietly emerged from behind the scenes to keep the stage safe and prepare for the next act. They unhooked ropes, removed and repositioned props, and checked on the actors to ensure everything was running smoothly. They weren’t the center of attention—their job was to guarantee that the stage was set for the main actors who were. They weren’t the stars of the show and received no applause. They had one mission: to ensure the spotlight shined on the real stars. 

And this is precisely what Christians are called to do for Christ. Believers are stagehands for the Savior. Jesus is highly exalted “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named” (Eph. 1:21a), and our job as believers is to keep it that way in our hearts and lives. The mission statement of our lives ought to be that of John the Baptizer: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). As the reformer John Calvin once said, this world is a “theater for God’s glory,” and our divine duty is to ensure that the spotlight shines on the real Hero: Jesus. 

This means fighting the temptation to “think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think” (Rom. 12:3). We must see ourselves as “unworthy servants” (Luke 17:10) whose principal assignment is to shine the light of our good works upon Him (Matt. 5:16). Everything we do should draw people’s attention to Christ, so “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified” (2 Thess. 1:12a). Our soul’s greatest passion should be that of Psalm 115:1, where the psalmist prayed, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!”

One day, Jesus will return to take center stage and every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7). Everyone in the universe will “take a bow” not to receive glory, but to give glory to the Morning Star (Phil. 2:10-11; Rev. 22:16). And those who hogged the spotlight will be humbled and eternally regretful that they did not make Jesus the center of their lives (Luke 14:11). But, saints who served as stagehands will be eternally glad they did not steal the spotlight (Rev. 4:10-11). Are you a stagehand for the Savior?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Endure Until the End | Bible Gleanings | August 1-2, 2025

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Wham! A gouging left-hook pierced his right eye. Boof! The world champion heavy-weight boxer threw another lethal strike. “Raaah! Whooo!” shouted the crowd, as Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa battled in the ring. Bif! Bam! Bop! With machine-like accuracy, Creed hammered Rocky’s bloodied face. And then Rocky went down, but he was not out—he slowly rose to his feet, weary but determined.

His handlers begged him to throw in the towel. But with blood streaming down his face, Rocky warned, “You stop this fight, and I’ll kill you!” Then he launched into Creed with the fury of a mad tiger. But even after fifteen rounds of ruthless beating, neither boxer delivered a knockout, and the fight was eventually called. The announcer declared from the mic, “Tonight we have had the privilege of witnessing the greatest exhibition of guts and stamina in the history of the ring!”

Rocky Balboa didn’t win the match, but he finished it. He endured until the end. He wasn’t trying to knock out Apollo Creed. He simply sought to go the distance and prove he could take a beating. To him, finishing well was better than winning every round.

Rocky was right, and the Scripture also teaches that endurance is better than winning every fight. When Paul the apostle was at death’s door, he did not say, “I have won the good fight,” but rather, “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim. 4:7). The Christian life is not about avoiding failure entirely—it’s about getting back up in faith after being knocked down. True believers stay in the ring and rise for the next round through the strengthening grace of God. As Proverbs 24:16 says, “For the righteous falls seven times and rises again.”

No Christian can always slay their flesh, defeat the devil, or triumph over the enticements of this sinful world. But even when struck down, beaten-up believers can rise again because, “though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand” (Psalm 37:24). When flattened out on the canvas, the believer can say, “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8). True believers can testify with Paul: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).

So, don’t give up. Keep on keeping on. Endure until you hear the final bell—the trumpet of Christ’s return (1 Cor. 15:52). Finishing well is better than a perfect performance. As Rocky himself said, “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.”

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Sin-Forgiving Savior | Bible Gleanings | July 26-27, 2025

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The air carried the sound of the Savior’s voice to the crowded multitude, but the sound of crashing debris abruptly cut Him off in the middle of His sermon (Luke 5:17-19). There was no earthquake or riot—just a group of hopeful and determined friends who were removing roof tiles from the house where Jesus was speaking (Matt. 9:3-4). Then there was silence, as all eyes were fixed on Jesus. Everyone was curious about what He would do: the nosy crowds, the faith-filled friends of the paralytic, and certainly, the paralytic himself, who hoped that Jesus would reward their efforts by healing him. And gasps must have rippled through the crowd when Jesus, rather than restoring the man’s ability to walk, declared to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20).

The man came seeking physical healing, but received spiritual healing. It is not as though Jesus did not pity his physical condition—He did, and that is why He delivered him from paralysis as well (Matt. 9:6-7). However, the remission of sins was far more important to Jesus than the removal of suffering. Indeed, it is eternally more significant; man’s greatest need is for salvation and the forgiveness of sins, and there is no greater sin-forgiver than Christ. And only He can forgive the multitude of our sins because He is God, as even His enemies attested: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7).

To this day, anyone who comes to Christ in repentance and faith will be delivered from spiritual paralysis and empowered to walk in obedience. Any sinner who comes to the Savior can walk away from the “mats and beds” of their former life of wickedness, and leave their gargantuan sin debt at Jesus’ feet. And this is possible because Christ not only prayed for the forgiveness of sinners on the cross—He paid for it (Luke 23:34; 1 Peter 1:18-19). As Paul said, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). And when Jesus declares to saved sinners, “Your sins are forgiven,” He means all of them. He blots them out by His blood, remembers them no more, and “as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12; cf. Isaiah 43:35; Micah 7:18-19).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Sober-Minded | Bible Gleanings | July 19-20, 2025

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I couldn’t see straight. My mind was swirling like a rollercoaster. Time came to a standstill, but I couldn’t stand still at all. In a moment of youthful genius, I popped a big ol’ pinch of chewing tobacco into my lip after my friend asked, “You ever had Copenhagen?” Refusing to look like a wimp, I cleared my throat and said, “Had it? I love this stuff.” 

Plot twist: it did not love me back. Within minutes, I looked less like Clint Eastwood and more like a nauseated youngster who swore off carnival rides forever. Nicotine surged into my bloodstream, and I couldn’t think or speak clearly. I saw stars like Bugs Bunny and promptly plummeted off the back of my friend’s four-wheeler. That was the first time I experienced any kind of intoxication, and it taught me a valuable lesson: when your mind is fuzzy, your body follows. 

The Scripture also teaches this invaluable lesson: a clouded mind leads to a careless soul. That is why the Bible repeatedly commands believers to be “sober-minded” (Titus 2:2; 2 Tim. 4:5; 1 Peter 1:13). And this means much more than abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. Biblical sobriety is about keeping your mind alert, clear, and free from spiritual intoxication. When intoxicated, a person is out of touch with reality—and when we are spiritually inebriated, we become out of touch with what is holy.

One sip from the bottle of lies sold by sin, Satan, and society is all it takes to start seeing double. A few breaths of the smoke of worldliness makes it impossible to walk a straight line on the path of righteousness. The potent pills of constant distractions can impair your conscience, making you desensitized to sin and numb to spiritual danger. For this reason, Paul warned, “Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning” (1 Cor. 15:34a). Soul-intoxication fogs your senses and leads to sin, and the antidote is snapping out of it through sober-mindedness. 

Spiritual drunkenness also hinders your readiness for Christ’s return. Thus, Paul exhorted: “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober (1 Thess. 5:6). Peter likewise warned that the devil targets Christians who are half-awake, bleary-eyed, and mind-numbed (1 Peter 5:8). He even stated that spiritual inebriation stifles our prayers: “Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7b). Hence, being sober-minded is indispensable for conflict against Satan and communion with the Son.

Do not wait until you are spiritually slumped over to learn this lesson the hard way. Resist spiritual sedatives and let God renew your mind through His word (Rom. 12:2). Don’t allow spiritual toxins to captivate your mind—let Christ take your thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5). Be sober-minded because sin is seductive, Satan is stalking, and the Savior is soon to return.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Boomerang of Blessing | Bible Gleanings | July 12-13, 2025

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You rarely notice it happening—but if it ever ceased, the whole world would notice. It happens in the mountain streams—they generously pour themselves into lakes only to be replenished by rain. What they give always comes back. It happens in the clouds above you. These rolling giants bountifully bless the earth with rainfall only to be refilled with the rising mists of evaporation. What they give away is always given back.

This is not just the way things work in nature—this is how God’s economy of blessing works as well. Believers are blessed to be a blessing to others, and blessings come to those who bless. As Solomon assured, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Eccl. 11:1, KJV). Proverbs similarly states, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed” (Prov. 19:17). Jesus also taught the same truth: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

Believers can bless others through burden-bearing, need-meeting, forgiveness-giving, truth-telling, and countless other Spirit-empowered actions. And those who do experience a “boomerang effect,” wherein God richly replenishes what is given—either in this life or the next (Matt. 19:29). It happens like this: “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Prov. 11:25). Paul also spoke of this divine pattern in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” God notices when you lavishly give your time, talents, and treasures to others, and that’s when He opens the windows of heaven to “pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Mal. 3:10).

The hoarding Christian who never gives becomes like the stagnant and lifeless Dead Sea, which only receives water but never gives it. A garden plant heavy with fruit will collapse and wither if it doesn’t release what it bears. A soaking sponge never wrung out will eventually grow moldy. A well never drawn might be full, but it quenches no one’s thirst with its water locked away. Likewise, stashing away and stockpiling our blessings willfully interrupts God’s cycle of blessing, resulting in spiritual decay, disintegration, and dryness.

Of course, we do not give just to get. We give to please the Lord, not to manipulate His process of blessing. In obedience to God, the widow woman from Zarephath gave Elijah the little oil and flour she had left, and God provided her with a feast of bread, and the resurrection of her son (1 Kings 17:8-24). Mary of Bethany anointed Christ with a costly jar of perfume to honor her Lord, not to gain a blessing—and yet, she is honored every time the gospel is preached (Mark 14:3-9). We give for the glory of God and the good of others. But often, when blessing others, we are blessed all over again.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Fool’s Gold | Bible Gleanings | July 5-6, 2025

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My trust issues began on a family vacation to Chattanooga when I was a child. We had just finished touring the breathtaking caverns of Ruby Falls, and like all good vacation-ers, we concluded our adventure in the gift shop. And that’s when I saw it—sparkling and shimmering gold that would make me richer than Bruce Wayne. Even better, the gold was on sale—a heck of a steal, I thought. After my dad bought the glimmering godsend, I daydreamed about what I would acquire with my precious plunder. But alas, my dreams of purchasing the Batmobile turned into a nightmare when I discovered the unforgiving truth: it was fool’s gold all along. 

It looked and felt like real gold, but it was a counterfeit—a cheap lookalike. Lamentably, there is no shortage of fool’s gold being disseminated today behind church pulpits, in bestselling Christian books, and in social media posts and podcasts. And this fool’s gold is what the Bible calls “false teaching.” It sparkles with charm, twinkles with appeal, and glistens with believability. It often looks and sounds like the truth, but not all that glitters is the gospel.

False teaching never wears a nametag; it always wears the costume of truth. And it is sold by smooth-talkers with silver tongues, wolves in sheep’s clothing, and masters of spiritual disguise (Rom. 16:18; Matt. 7:15; 2 Cor. 11:13-14; 2 Peter 2:1; Jude 4). These expert spiritual scammers polish deception until it glows like the truth, and utilize the Trojan horse strategy to sneak delusive doctrine past your defenses and into your mind, heart, and life. No false teacher ever says, “My message is brought to you by Satan.” Instead, their teaching is inspired by the ancient serpent who specializes in covering lies in the auspicious mask of truth. 

Thankfully, there is something far greater than the fool’s gold of false teaching: the pure gold of God’s word, the Scripture. The Bible is not a discount imitation—it is a true treasure, as the psalmist declared, “the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold” (Psa. 19:9b-10a). It is worth more than “thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Psa. 119:72b), and especially more than deceitful knockoffs. The promises of God’s word never lose their luster, its commands never mislead, and its truths never crumble under pressure. You can stake your life and eternity upon it because its Author cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

How can you tell the difference between the real gold of truth and the fool’s gold of error? Know the real thing—read and study the Scripture in order to discern the fake substitutes. And test every teaching before you trust it (1 John 4:1). Like the Bereans, examine the Scriptures daily to see if what you are hearing and reading is the real gold of God-inspired truth (Acts 17:11).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Damage Control | Bible Gleanings | June 28-29, 2025

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The prosperous paradise became a desolate graveyard in a matter of weeks. The air was unbreathable. Pests invaded homes and raided pantries. Livestock perished by the thousands. Leprous skin diseases broke out. Darkness covered the land, and even the water turned to blood.

This is not a scene from an apocalyptic movie, however. It was real life for the ancient Egyptians during the plagues God sent to compel Pharaoh to fear the Lord and free the Israelites from slavery. But more jaw-dropping than the severity of the plagues themselves was Pharaoh’s spiritual schizophrenia—his flip-flopping inconsistency. He begged for mercy when the plagues were too hard to bear, but hardened his heart the moment things got better. When he couldn’t take anymore, he cried, “Plead for me . . . This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong . . . Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you” (Ex. 8:28; 9:27; 10:24). Even his advisors warned, “Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” (Ex. 10:7).

Yet, as soon as the skies cleared and the frogs croaked their last, the Scripture says, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said” (Ex. 8:15; cf. Ex. 8:32; 9:34; 10:20, 27). He did not hate his sin—he hated the consequences of it. He despised discomfort, not disobedience. His heart ached because of the suffering caused by his sin, but not because of sin itself. 

But before we point too many fingers at Pharaoh, we would do well to look in the mirror. How often do we mourn over our sin only because it seizes our comfort, robs our peace, and afflicts our consciences? We are often more upset by the plagues sin brings upon our lives than by the fact that sin is offensive to our holy God. And let’s be honest: if we could sin without consequences, many of us would do so without hesitation and harden our hearts even worse than Pharaoh. That is not sin-hating repentance at all—it is damage-control.

As the Puritan John Owen wrote, “We must hate all sin, as sin, and not just that which troubles us. To seek mortification only because a sin troubles us proceeds from self-love . . . A man who only opposes the sin in his heart for fear of shame among men or eternal punishment from God would practice the sin if there were no punishment attending it.” In other words, genuine repentance is marked by grief over what sin is, not merely by what sin does (2 Cor. 7:10). As believers, we should hate our sin not simply because it harms us, but because it grieves and defies the God who saved us from it.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Prayer-Prioritizer | Bible Gleanings | June 21-22, 2025

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The calm morning silence was gently broken by the voice of the One whose mercies are new every morning. The lonesome mountain was occupied by the One who fashioned it in the beginning. And no one could hear Him in this desolate place, except for the God who hears everything. Jesus started His day by starting to pray: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

This portrayal of Jesus’ prayer life is as mystifying as it is magnificent: after all, why did Christ pray if He was God in the flesh? Certainly, Jesus prayed to please God. Christ knelt to pray because the Father delights in prayer, and Jesus always did that which brought His Father divine delight (John 14:31). Jesus did not need to pray any more than He needed to be baptized, yet He did both to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Because of this, He set an example for all of His followers to emulate. Thus, walking as He walked entails talking as He talked to God (1 John 2:6).

Christ sitting on the mountain to pray also foreshadowed His future position of being seated at Father’s right hand, where He now makes eternal intercession for His saints. Jesus’ prayers on earth were a shadow of His prayers in eternity on behalf of His beloved children. As Paul assured, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34). And, as the author of Hebrews encouraged, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25, KJV). Thus, Jesus is the record-holder for the “longest prayer” because He prayed on earth and continues to pray for His followers throughout eternity. 

But arguably, the greatest reason why the God-Man prayed to the Father is because He loved Him. Communication and communion with those whom you love is normal and natural. You can even converse with loved ones for hours on end, whether you are well-rested or worn out, simply because you cherish them. The same was true of Christ, who loved God with all of His heart, soul, mind, and strength. As Jesus declared, “But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (John 14:31).

Therefore, the real question is: why wouldn’t He pray? And, since we are fleshly, weak, and sinful, why wouldn’t we? Why would we do anything other than pray, since Christ has made it possible to approach the Father through His atoning death and mediatorial intercession?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.